Radio Silence: WPLJ Radio Goes Off The Air
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Friday evening marked the end of an era for music on the radio.
95.5 WPLJ went off the air at 7 p.m.
Earlier this month, the radio station announced they'd be leaving the airwaves.
"The rumors you've been hearing are true," the station announced on Twitter on May 8. "As hard as it is to believe, WPLJ will be going away on Friday, May 31st."
WPLJ first went on the air 48 years ago in 1971. It played album rock in the 70s, before championing new wave and then switching to hot adult contemporary format.
"Thank you for the years of support and for listening!" the station wrote.
I feel weird posting this. Thanks for all the kind words and messages. We have a great tribute planned, and will be signing off this iconic radio station at 11:59p on 5/31. https://t.co/wJwU2AlMGS
— Mike Allan (@DJMikeAllan) May 8, 2019
Earlier this month, CBS2's Vanessa Murdock spoke with Patty Steele of WCBS FM's "Scott Shannon in the Morning with Patty Steele." She co-hosted WPLJ with Shannon in the early 2000s.
"It's just so sad," Steele said. "We had some incredible guests and that was really fun."
Steele describes the station as legendary across the nation.
"Its had two iterations. Moment-defining rock station into adult pop 30 that it became with Scott. So to see that go away is breathtaking," Steele said. "Its legacy is almost something that's indescribable."
With WPLJ now signed off forever, contemporary Christian music will be played on 95.5 FM as part of the national K-LOVE network.